Tag Archives: Nature

Right now I am snuggled up on my couch with a blanket, the fireplace is crackling, the aroma of pumpkin spice candles is conjuring images of pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin EVERYTHING. It’s no secret. I FREAKING LOVE FALL. It’s perhaps my most favorite thing about living on this side of the U.S.

Some of the basic bitch things I like to do during fall:

Hike

Drink a shit ton of (decaf) pumpkin lattes

Hike

Get some new sweaters, scarves and boots and wear my favorite ones incessantly

Cook a lot of soups, stews and casseroles

Hike

Eat

Hike

Seeing a trend much?

This is why I am devastated that I didn’t do any fall hiking this year. Or at least go out to take photos of fall foliage. I guess I’ve been too busy with my kids (I’m basically an Uber driver) that it slipped by me. This week is a little too cold to have Apollo outdoors for extended times, and even if next week is a little warmer, most of the foliage will have fallen.

So today I am just admiring some fall photos of the last two years. Nearly all of them are from around my neighborhood. Gahhh. Why must it be so short lived?

Like this:

I miss the farmers markets in Hawaii. Like, a lot. It’s no wonder I was my healthiest there with all of the fresh veggies and herbs I collected every Sunday morning at the local market.

Now that I’m back on the mainland and have yet to seek out the local farmers markets (except for the one I was slightly underwhelmed by), I’m especially missing the little things like fresh cilantro and basil. I used to buy basil from the market in small, inexpensive portions; now I have to buy it pre-packaged and highly perishable. The only other option? Buying the whole dang plant.

So I bought the whole dang plant.

I’m notorious for killing plants. I’ve nursed a few succulents and they are alive and well, but don’t give me too much credit–they’re hella easy to maintain. They bask in the sun all day and I water them whenever I remember (not often).

But delicate little basil leaves? Jesus, take the wheel.

The good news is that I’ve had it for a few days and it’s still alive. That’s a couple of days longer than pre-packaged basil would have lasted. I consider that a win.

Anyway, I walked into the kitchen yesterday and noticed it was leaning sideways. The soil was almost completely dry and I guess it was well on its way to herb heaven if I hadn’t intervened in time. I had the container in a bowl, and since the soil was dry, the plant itself outweighed the soil causing it to topple.

I tend to think of everything in metaphors. Oh, look at that pretty sunset. Makes me think of that time I had food poisoning and sickness set into my lower intestines and darkened my entire week. Since creativity was on my mind that day, the sight of that leaning basil made me think of something:

So often we get preoccupied with what is above the soil–obligations, expectations, tribulations–that we forget to water that which nourishes us. (For me it’s creating something.) The nourishing “soil” dries up, everything up top becomes heavier and we become unbalanced.

We must water our soil so that everything above it can flourish like it’s meant to. And just like I will use that basil to cook up something delicious to nourish myself and my family, watering your soil allows you to nourish others in the kind of way only you can.